Simple Ways to Know the Purity of Your Home Water Supply

Everyone knows the importance of clean water, but how would you know if your water really is clean?

Many people answer this question with a simple statement saying they use filters, or have a water filtration system like the Everpure H54 filters that removes bacteria, contaminants, and other impurities. But how would you know the quality of your home's water?

There isn’t a fool-proof way to determine the purity of your water supply. However, there are a few tests that you can apply to your water supply to check if there is microbial presence. Some of these tests can be expensive and need to be done by professionals, especially when it comes to identifying the contaminants.

Here are some of the most common tests to know the purity of your water supply.

Types of Water Microbial Testing

Microbial testing is one of the most important ways to check the quality of any water supply. Sometimes, even a clear glass of water could harbor contaminants and metals that could affect the health of anyone drinking it.

He are some microbial testing procedures for water:

Presence Absence (PA) Test

This test uses a change color test to check if your water has microbial contamination. The test kits for PA tests are relatively affordable, and only involves using a powder nutrient mixture and adding it into your water sample.

There is a required 24-hour incubation period to allow organisms to grow, and is often used in instances when there is no expected contamination. If you have a private water supply or feel that your water tank or deep well is contaminated, use this test.

Most Probable Number (MPN)

MPN tests can give you a quantitative analysis of the bacteria in your water sample. This test often requires several samples in different containers: tubes, plastic bags, and plates. A nutrient solution is added to all samples, and the incubation period is 12 to 24 hours to wait for any bacteria to grow.

The samples will also change color when bacteria is detected, and there are instructions on how to convert the number of positives in the samples to an estimate of bacterial concentration. This can give you a good idea of how much concentration is in your supply.

Filtration

This is a simple test that gives a more accurate quantitative analysis of bacterial contamination in your supply. In many cases, you need 100 ml of water for your sample. This is then forced through a small, round filter made of paper with the help of a pump.

The filter then catches all contaminants and bacteria, and then the filter is incubated with another culture that will help allow the bacteria to multiply. This allows the proper analysis of the bacterial culture present in the water sample.

Once the incubation period is over, the number of bacterial colonies will be counted and analyzed, and can help in identifying the total number of colonies in the supply. If the water sample has too many contaminants and debris, this method could take a longer time as there might be more solid or suspended materials in the sample.

Which Test to Use?

It’s best to consider what you need the test for. If it is simply to check the purity of your water supply, then a simple PA test would do, and then find out which part of your water supply is compromised.

But if you need to detect the specific contaminants and bacteria, then you might have to consider the MPN or the filtration tests. However, you also have to consider the costs, as these tests could cost more and require expertise and knowledge.

It’s best to look for professional help to find if your water supply is suitable for your daily needs. The best way to ensure consistent water quality is through filtration prior to use. If you find some contamination in your supply, it’s best to consider an option like the Everpure H54 so you know that you will always know that your water is clean and safe.